Agency Hill (Agency Butte) Lookout Site

In 1929, plans were being made to make a crows nest in a tall tree on the crest of Agency Hill. Surrounding trees were planned to be felled to improve the view. They called it a smoky weather lookout and used in May and June when it was not possible to use Mt. Scott as the primary lookout for the western portion of the reservation. Tents were used for camp.

In 1930, work was underway on the106-foot crows nest tree and access road. The Klamath Agency and the Forest Service immediately started discussing building a more suitable tower since the location was a prime spot in early season and a secondary point in later season. By mid-summer, a 110-foot tower had been ordered. In September and October, the 107-foot steel Aermotor model LS-40 tower was constructed by the Indian Service at a cost of $2,496.94. The expense connected with maintaining a lookout was taken care of by the Crater National Forest until the expense equaled the cost of constructing the lookout. After that, the expense was jointly taken care of by the Crater National Forest and the Klamath Indian Agency. The Forest Service also built a living quarters cabin for approximately $650.

In 1931, signs along The Dalles-California highway showed where to leave the highway to go to the agency tower hill, encouraging visitors to climb the 107-foot tall lookout tower.

In 1933, panorama photos were taken from the tower. It was still a co-op site between the Rogue River National Forest and the Klamath Indian Agency.

In 1938, the local Chiloquin Methodist church had Easter sunrise service at the lookout tower at 5:15on a Sunday morning.

In 1941, the lookout was Oregon State graduate, Roy A. Yoder, who was going back in fall to Harvard on a scholarship. He welcomed visitors and reported as many as 200 people on a weekend day.

In 1943, the lookout was Marian Doty, one of the first women in the district to man a fire lookout station. She reported liking the job immensely.

In 1949, the lookout was Jessie Jara, who was terminated after 31 days on duty. Delphine Parazoo finished the season, was a good lookout but apparently her husbands drunken jealousy caused trouble.

In 1953, electricity was run up to the tower. Poles were taken to the top of the butte and snaked down the nearly perpendicular drop. The Agency tower was the first one with electric power. . Claude Parazoo of Chiloquin was the lookout, as she has been for the previous eight years (says the article) with the exception of a divided season spent on Calimus and on Swan Lake. At times she had all six of her children at the butte. Often the children placed their sleeping bags on the staircase platforms and sleep one or two children to a story, nearly all the way to the top. Mrs. Parazoo laughingly admitted that even the family pet, an elderly dog, had joined in these unusual slumber parties. Although there were strong guy wires, the tower swayed noticeably in a high wind. Mrs. Parazoo admitted that she was afraid during storms the first season but now she enjoys them.

In 1961, with the termination act, Agency Hill lookout became the responsibility of the Oregon Department of Forestry to maintain and operate.

In 1969, two fires were reported and the living quarters were remodeled and painted. A new railing was installed on the tower.

In 1979, the lookout dismantled.